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Audio

Introducing Anastasia Kristensen’s agile techno sound

Anastasia Kristensen first caught our attention around two years ago, and we’ve been waiting for the chance to bring her to Farringdon ever since. The young Danish DJ had as big a year as any breaking techno artist gets in 2017, appearing at respected places like Berghain and Unsound for the first time in between regular dates at her adopted Copenhagen home, Culture Box.

The recent surge in interest surrounding Kristensen isn’t without good reason. Her record collection has the suggestibility of an artist with an experience spanning decades rather than years, covering classic 90s-era Warp through to recent Houndstooth or Ostgut Ton. When she plays out she’ll make the jump between these usually disparate sounds within a few records, building sets that are as unpredictable as they are intense and encompassing. It’s how she’s played in her promo mix for us, which has only added to our excitement for her first appearance with us on 24th February.

This mix is packed with tracks that contain cheeky character, some dazzling elements and a tighter focus on rolling, groove-laden basslines. As has become somewhat traditional with my mixes, there's plenty of unreleased stuff from fellow Copenhagen talents along with some long-lost classics.

It’s obvious you’re as comfortable playing 90s techno and IDM as more contemporary four-four. Where do you buy most of your records?

I find music wherever it can be bought, consumed, or found – it could be an occasional visit at a record store in a new country, systematic digging on Discogs or something a friend or Twitter follower points me towards. Good stuff is everywhere, you just have to look out for it!

What’s the main thing you’ve learned from playing regularly at Culture Box?

I have always enjoyed doing opening and closing sets, but as time has passed I've learned to really embrace those sets to the fullest more than ever. Whenever I play there and see the club fill up nicely early on, it means the work I've been putting in for the last couple of years is paying off. That itself is the best praise any resident DJ could ask for from their hometown or the venue they call home.

Do you find yourself spending more time making new music or digging for records to play at the moment?

Both are equally important tasks for a performer and producer alike, however this winter I'm aiming to finish new material for potential future releases and remixes. This definitely means more evenings will be spent in the new studio I've recently set up. Stay tuned for a forthcoming announcements in the coming months!

It seems like 2017 was a year of a lot of firsts for you – what are you most looking forward to coming up now?

2017 was an amazing year and I am anticipating what 2018 will bring; I am excited for my fabric debut, as well as a few summer festivals like Exit and Dimensions. Plus of course, having music released out into the world and on wax. But I also like to stay positively surprised and enjoy the present moments.